LPG and methane cars: prices, pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages

While the ecological transition pushes the automotive industry towards electric and the market continues to deal with traditional petrol and diesel engines, on Italian roads many continue to travel relying on two historic and well-rooted alternatives: the LPG and the methane. In a period in which motorists are looking for the best compromise between management costs and environmental impact, “alternative” fuels still represent a concrete and widely spread response, as confirmed by the official ACI data relating to the Italian vehicle fleet. Looking only at cars in circulation, Italy boasts a significant gas fleet: vehicles with dual petrol and LPG fuel in fact exceed the threshold of three million, standing precisely at 3,153,648 units at the end of 2024. Although with lower numbers, methane also maintains a solid base in the country, with 746,946 cars classified under petrol and methane currently in circulation. These figures demonstrate how LPG and methane are not marginal technologies, but rather maintain an important role in national mobility. At the same time, however, these two fuels are facing different fates: if on the one hand LPG continues to enjoy excellent health even on the new market, on the other hand methane is facing a profound transformation, increasingly becoming a prerogative linked to second hand market and the conversion of existing vehicles.

the LPG car market

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Analyzing the market for LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cars, the picture emerges of a power supply that is anything but in crisis, capable of defending its market shares thanks to an unbeatable sales argument: the price. The price data from the beginning of March 2026 speak clearly, with LPG which, with an average cost at the pump of just 0.71 euros per litrecosts less than half compared to petrol, which reached 1.75 euros per litre, and diesel, which after the outbreak of the conflict in Iran reached the average price on the national territory of 1.87 euros per litre. This economic advantage is reflected in a fleet capable of achieving significant numbers. According to ACI data from 2024, over three million bi-fuel petrol and LPG cars travel on our roads, representing 7.6% of the entire Italian vehicle fleet. Unlike other alternative fuels, LPG continues to be chosen also on the new market, where in 2025 car registrations with this fuel supply amounted to 140,391numbers very close to those of diesel car registrations, which instead show a -46.2% compared to 2024. The support of various car manufacturers who maintain models highly appreciated by the Italian public in their range remains decisive for LPG. In this sense, just think of the Dacia brand, which offers its own Sanderothe best-selling car in Europe last year, in numerous versions powered by LPG, or by Renault, which has already announced that the new Clio 2026 It will also be available with a bi-fuel petrol and LPG engine. However, the success of LPG is not limited to private transport alone. Examining the Aci data relating to commercial vehicles we discover that in 2024 there were also 70,534 goods transport trucks powered by petrol and liquid gas in circulation, demonstrating how this solution is also considered reliable by companies. To support these millions of vehicles there is also a widespread distribution network and mature, which does not suffer from the charging anxiety typical of other technologies. The Italian distribution chain is in fact a reference in Europe, as demonstrated by others 4,500 distributors of LPG present on the national territory.

LPG cars: pros and cons

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LPG fueling for cars has some positive and other negative aspects. Let’s see which ones.

Pro:

• ​Savings at the pump: it is the main advantage, despite the fact that with a liter of LPG you travel on average 15-20% fewer kilometers compared to the distances guaranteed by a liter of petrol. Refueling costs reduced by over 50% compared to traditional fuels produce considerable savings for the motorist
• Supply network: distributors are numerous and spread evenly throughout almost the entire national territory, also making LPG refueling easy to access for everyone
• Ztl accesses and traffic blocks: many local administrations equate LPG cars with eco-friendly ones, allowing access to restricted traffic zones or exempting traffic blocks due to pollution
• Availability on new: there are still several ready-to-use options on the price list, even for models highly appreciated by the public

Against:

• ​Extra maintenance: the LPG tank must be replaced by law every 10 years, with an average cost that can fluctuate from 300 to 900 euros based on the type of tank, the capacity and the workshop in charge
• Space on board: although the toroidal tanks have reduced the problem, the system takes up the space of the spare wheel or partially reduces the capacity of the trunk
• Underground parking: despite being equipped with modern safety valves, LPG vehicles can park in underground garages only up to the first underground floor
• Limited self-service replenishment: in Italy self-service refueling for LPG is still subject to stringent regulations and technical limitations and almost always requires the presence of the operator. This can constitute an annoying limitation for those who need to refuel at night, when many petrol stations are not manned by an authorized operator

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the methane car market

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As regards methane for transport, Italy boasts a pioneering tradition that has its roots as far back as the 1930s. For decades our country has been the undisputed leader in Europe in terms of technological development, distribution network and number of vehicles in circulation, making this gas the ecological and energy-saving fuel par excellence. Today, however, methane is experiencing a profound phase paradox. On the one hand there is the total blockade of the new market, with car manufacturers, focused on enormous investments in electrification, which have progressively removed natural gas versions from their price lists. Finding a new methane car today is effectively impossible. The only brand in Italy that still offers methane powered cars in its price list is Cirelli, but in general it is zero marked by these cars under the heading “new registrations” in 2025 clearly illustrates the situation (Anfia data). On the other hand, however, there is a second-hand market and a fleet of vehicles which demonstrate a still strong attachment to this fuel. The 2024 Aci data in fact record 746,946 cars powered by petrol and methane still traveling on our roads, while the trucks also fueled by methane present in the fleet were 72,245. To support this fleet there is the price factorwhich after the energy crisis of recent years has regained its stability. In March 2026, methane will in fact stand at 1.47 euros per kg. Although the gap with LPG is evident, methane still maintains a marked convenience compared to petrol and diesel, especially considering the very high energy efficiency (with one kg of methane you can travel much further than with a liter of petrol). The historic and well-structured distribution network, however, suffers from a less homogeneous geographical distribution compared to LPG, with a strong concentration in the Centre-North (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy and Marche above all) and several shortcomings in some areas of the South and on the Islands. In fact, today there are only just over 1,500 active systems in Italy for the refueling of methane cars, according to data from the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy.

Pros and Cons of Methane

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Methane for towing vehicles has some positive and other negative aspects. Let’s see which ones.

Pro:

• Environmental impact: it is the cleanest fossil fuel, with carbon dioxide emissions 20% lower than petrol and virtually zero fine particles.
• Operating cost: the price at the pump (1.47 euros per kg), combined with the high energy efficiency, guarantees a very competitive cost per kilometer
• Tax and circulation advantages: methane cars enjoy tax concessions in many regions and have free access to most restricted traffic areas or during traffic blocks
• Biomethane: the network is absorbing ever-increasing amounts of biomethane, a fuel with particularly low emissions which is obtained from biogas generated from urban organic waste and agricultural biomass, making the existing fleet even more eco-friendly without having to change cars

Against:

• Absence of new models: the impossibility of purchasing new methane-powered cars is the first limitation of this fuel supply
• Weight and bulk: methane cylinders are heavy and bulky and significantly reduce the space in the trunk, weighing on the mass of the vehicle
• Cylinder overhaul: there is an obligation to requalify every 4 years for European R110 approved cylinders or 5 years for those approved at a national level, with associated labor costs
• Distribution network and self-service: the presence of methane distributors is less widespread than that of LPG distributors and self-service refueling is only possible after having followed a specific course and having received a specific qualification